1. Faculty of Social Sciences
  2. School of Sociology and Social Policy
  3. Research and expertise
  4. Research projects
  5. AKTIVE – Advancing Knowledge of Telecare for Independence and Vitality in later lifE

Research project

AKTIVE – Advancing Knowledge of Telecare for Independence and Vitality in later lifE

  • Start date: 1 June 2011
  • End date: 31 May 2014
  • Funder: Economic and Social and Humanities Research Council (ESRC)
  • Primary investigator: Professor Sue Yeandle
  • Co-investigators: Gary Fry; Emma-Reetta Koivunen

This £1.3m project was directed by Professor Sue Yeandle and developed and delivered by four partners: CIRCLE at the University of Leeds (lead partner); the Oxford Institute of Population Ageing (Oxford University); Tunstall Healthcare (UK) Ltd; and Inventya Solutions Ltd. These key partners worked with the support of the wider AKTIVE consortium, comprising medical experts, experts on design, risk, disability and ergonomics, telecare commissioners in two local authorities and a range of agencies representing and supporting older people, carers and care workers. AKTIVE investigated the following topics:

  • What are the characteristics of older people who use telecare, and in what context are they doing so? (With a focus on older people with memory problems and/or susceptibility to falls).
  • How is telecare equipment used in private homes.
  • How can carers benefit from the use of telecare in older peoples’ homes.
  • What are the barriers to the adoption of telecare.
  • Does telecare offer opportunities to improve job design and job quality for care workers and other health and related workers who attend older people at home.
  • What are the main features of the market for telecare and what can be done to enhance innovation and improve take-up of technical developments?

AKTIVE

AKTIVE held conferences targeting industry, policy and academic participants, to share project findings and learn about other relevant projects and research: